Indepth Research

Provide in-depth research reports and independent analysis, leveraging data, technology, and economic insights to deliver a comprehensive examination of the blockchain ecosystem, project potential, and market trends.

YZi Labs Portfolio Data Analysis: 229 Investments, 95 Listed on Binance

YZi Labs Portfolio Data Insight: 229 Investments, 95 Listed on Binance In March 2026, YZi Labs investment partner Dana Hou departed after four years, witnessing the crypto VC industry's cycle from frenzy to contraction. RootData recorded 229 YZi Labs investments, involving 218 unique projects. Among them, 154 have issued tokens: - 150 are listed on at least one exchange - 95 are listed on Binance - 22 have a market cap below $500K - 20 have ceased operations Approximately 45% of the listed projects (69) are considered relatively healthy, including successes like Ethena ($920M market cap), Aster ($1.73B), Sui ($3.54B), and Aptos ($790M). These primarily focus on DeFi infrastructure and L1/L2 solutions. Half of the tradable projects (76) have a market cap below 50% of their fully diluted valuation (FDV), with 26 projects below 20%. Notable pivots include STEPN (to lifestyle platform), MyShell (AI Agent infrastructure), and Open Campus (education solutions ecosystem). YZi Labs maintained investment pace during bear markets, with 49 deals in 2022 versus 44 in the 2021 bull market. However, lead investment rates dropped from 36% in bull markets to 16-27% in bear markets, indicating a more cautious approach. DeFi has become YZi Labs' preferred sector, while game investments declined significantly. A notable characteristic is the non-disclosure of investment amounts in 45.6% of deals (104), particularly during bear markets and strategic rounds. The firm is strategically expanding into AI and stablecoins, aiming to rebuild its portfolio and upgrade its research capabilities for cross-cycle performance.

marsbit03/04 13:09

YZi Labs Portfolio Data Analysis: 229 Investments, 95 Listed on Binance

marsbit03/04 13:09

Wall Street Is Calculating the 'AI Apocalypse', While Justin Sun Is Betting on Web4.0

Wall Street research firm Citrini Research released a thought experiment report, "2028 Global Intelligence Crisis," predicting that AI agents will eliminate friction in human interactions, destroying traditional business models built on information asymmetry and intermediation. Meanwhile, Justin Sun, a prominent Web3 figure, declared 2026 as a "year of miracles" and urged people to embrace AI-driven futures, framing it as the dawn of Web4.0. The report argues that AI agents will enable near-zero-cost, instant service delivery and transaction execution, dismantling industries reliant on human cognitive limitations—such as finance, advertising, law, and consulting. This aligns with blockchain’s core mission of decentralization but takes it further by reducing the need for trust intermediaries altogether. Both AI and crypto are fundamentally rooted in physical resources: compute power and electricity. AI inference consumes computational energy, while blockchain transactions rely on energy-intensive mining or validation. Tokens, whether AI-generated or crypto-based, are digital representations of energy consumption. A critical challenge for AI agents is financial interoperability. Traditional payment systems are designed for humans, not machines. At Level 5 automation, AI agents will transact autonomously, requiring programmable, near-instant, low-cost settlement—conditions that blockchain networks like Solana or Ethereum L2s, with stablecoins, are uniquely suited to provide. Crypto wallets will become the native banks for AI agents. Sun’s strategic bet on Web4.0 is backed by Tron’s dominance in stablecoin transfers (especially USDT), which offers the high-speed, low-fee infrastructure needed for machine-to-machine payments. He aims to leverage AI’s growth to reinvigorate crypto markets, combining Tron, BitTorrent (decentralized storage), and Huobi’s user base to build a full-stack, decentralized Web4.0 infrastructure independent of centralized cloud providers. While Wall Street fears disruption, Sun sees opportunity—positioning crypto at the core of the next digital era.

marsbit03/04 10:11

Wall Street Is Calculating the 'AI Apocalypse', While Justin Sun Is Betting on Web4.0

marsbit03/04 10:11

Flames of War Reignited: How the Middle East Conflict Reshapes the Risk Premium of Gold and Crude Oil

Renewed conflict in the Middle East is reshaping risk premiums for gold and crude oil, driven by heightened geopolitical tensions and supply disruption risks. The article analyzes how the escalation, particularly near the Strait of Hormuz—a critical chokepoint for global oil transit—has amplified volatility in energy and safe-haven assets. Oil prices surged due to concerns over supply security, rising shipping and insurance costs, and potential disruptions, even without actual supply cuts. Gold strengthened as investors sought refuge amid elevated uncertainty and rising inflation expectations, supported by central bank buying and ETF inflows. The transmission mechanisms include: (1) direct supply shocks impacting energy and related commodities; (2) rising inflation expectations influencing monetary policy and real interest rates; and (3) risk aversion favoring safe assets like gold and the dollar while pressuring equities. Historically, conflicts like the Gulf War, Iraq War, and Russia-Ukraine war triggered similar short-term spikes in oil and gold, with prices often overshooting initially before stabilizing as situations clarify. Bitcoin showed mixed behavior—sometimes correlating with risk assets during sell-offs but also acting as a capital flight tool in certain regions. It remains a high-volatility asset rather than a stable safe haven. Key variables ahead include: potential conflict spillover, actual shipping disruptions, and central bank responses to persistent energy-led inflation. Market pricing will hinge on whether supply shocks materialize, inflation resurges, and risk appetite contracts. In summary, war溢价 is repricing commodities, with gold benefiting from避险 demand and oil from physical risks, while Bitcoin faces liquidity and sentiment pressures. The outlook depends on geopolitical developments and their macroeconomic ripple effects.

marsbit03/04 02:28

Flames of War Reignited: How the Middle East Conflict Reshapes the Risk Premium of Gold and Crude Oil

marsbit03/04 02:28

Written at the UAE-Oman Border: Survival Insights for Crypto Natives After Crossing Through the Fire

Authored by brother bing, co-founder of MegaETH, this article reflects on the relationship between technology and civilization after the author witnessed missile attacks and defense systems at the UAE-Oman border. The author argues that technology acts as an amplifier of a civilization’s inherent trajectory—enhancing productivity and coordination in healthy cycles, while fueling addiction and conflict in periods of decline. Applying this lens to crypto, the author observes that the industry has drifted from its original cypherpunk ideals. Crypto was meant to be a parallel system offering borderless finance, low coordination costs, and individual sovereignty. However, the pursuit of legitimacy and integration with traditional finance (TradFi) has diluted its transformative potential. Many early, structurally meaningful use cases—such as unsecured microloans and cross-border savings—have been sidelined in favor of financialization and speculative gains. The article calls for a return to crypto’s original mission: building infrastructure that enables genuine sovereignty rather than serving as middleware for legacy systems. It urges the community to resist short-term incentives, prioritize meaningful development, and realign with the values of openness, criticism, and independence. The author concludes by emphasizing the importance of individual agency and the courage to build alternative systems despite prevailing uncertainties.

marsbit03/03 07:36

Written at the UAE-Oman Border: Survival Insights for Crypto Natives After Crossing Through the Fire

marsbit03/03 07:36

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